Sixteen residents from the fantasy Caribbean island of St Christopher & the Barracudas describe their lives and preoccupations. Each characterisation, richly drawn in humour and melancholy, is enriched by visionary artwork to depict a place where not everything is quite as it seems.

A BBC Top 100 Novels that Shaped Our World Effia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader's wife. The consequences of their fate reverberate through the generations that follow. Taking us from the Gold Coast of Africa to the cotton-picking plantations of Mississippi; from the missionary schools of Ghana to the dive bars of Harlem, spanning three continents and seven generations, Yaa Gyasi has written a miraculous novel - the intimate, gripping story of a brilliantly vivid cast of characters and through their lives the very story of America itself. Epic in its canvas and intimate in its portraits, Homegoing is a searing and profound debut from a masterly new writer. 'This incredible book travels from Ghana to the US revealing how slavery destroyed so many families, traditions and lives - and how its terrifying impact is still reverberating now. Gyasi has created a story of real power and insight' Stylist, the Decade's 15 Best Books by Remarkable Women Selected for Granta's Best of Young American Novelists 2017 Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Best First Book Shortlisted for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction Shortlisted for the Beautiful Book Award 2017

Encounters is a collection of short stories which encompasses the panoply of writing styles and the whole business of living, whether it's real, imaginary or simply wishful thinking! Encounters are part of the very fabric of life. Each and every story reflects a small nugget of the world we live in, a world where the seemingly normal can end up both funny and touching as well as sometimes sad and visceral. This anthology offers beautifully observed snapshots of life: taking the reader from the pavements of London to the beaches of Mumbai via internet dating and an afternoon at the races. Exploring love, loss, hope and disappointment, essentially this is a product of a group of writers who simply want to tell stories. Some will resonate, some make readers smile, some may even make them laugh out loud. Most of all we hope each and every one will entertain and make us realise that every encounter can make a difference to all of our lives.

I'll protect you until the day I die - forever A vampire does not have to feel any emotion not of his choosing. And Nathaniel Gray has spent two hundred years choosing not to feel. But when he accidentally runs Rowan Locke off the road, he is inexplicably flooded with everything she's feeling, and that's rage, and lots of it. He's consumed with the need to protect Rowan at all costs including from himself. To Nate what's happened is unthinkable and is pretty much as unbelievable, as the existence of faeries. But you see, 'There is no such thing as - immortality.' This is Nate's story -

The pyramids and the magnificent Sphinx built over two thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ have fascinated people for years. And when information is uncovered suggesting a queen's pyramid deliberately constructed at her wish in a place where the sands of the desert would hide it forever, the search is on. And later the intrepid searchers would turn their attention to the mysterious Sphinx and what could really lay beneath those giant paws.

'The Flynns had lived in the Daymo since the time of Brian Boru, and I was damned if I was going to move out to some miserable suburb of concrete, cars and kids just because Peggy said so. The problem was that Peggy's say-so was a powerful thing, and it would take more than my veto to stop it.' Frankie Flynn only asks to be left alone to back an occasional horse, and to enjoy a peaceful pint with his friends and neighbours. Peggy, his wife, has other ideas. She wants to get out of the city, aspiring to a life of dinner parties, kitchen diners and en suite bathrooms. As well as Peggy's threat to his lifestyle, Frankie has to contend with a malevolent dog, armed criminals, his malingering son-in-law, being barred from his favourite pub, and much more.

I am a ridiculous man. They call me mad now. That would be a promotion in rank

A delusional man whose strange dream changes his life; a self-justifying husband who causes his wife’s suicide; a witness to a young girl’s ruin; a writer who stretches out on a gravestone and listens to the gossip of the dead … the narrators of these four confessional tales show how little we understand ourselves.

Christine's whole life has been manipulated. Now it's time for her to take control. Christine is enthralled when Caleb, 'the best looking boy in Crawstil' takes an interest in her. Little does she know that her life is about to change into a rollercoaster ride filled with danger and magic. The betrayal of those close give her reason to trust no one as she embarks on a journey of self - discovery.

In Mark Dunn's new novel, his alter ego, Griffin Stoddard, a long-time admirer of Cranford author, Mrs Gaskell, chances upon her work called We Five. He comes to learn that the novel - unpublished in her lifetime - was subsequently adapted by three other writers. Stoddard draws together the four versions and writes his own to complement them. The result is a novel which spans five different historical periods - a small mill town near Manchester in 1859, San Francisco in the days before the 1906 earthquake, the fictional Zenith, Winnemac of 1923, autumn in 1940's war torn London and a small town in Northern Mississippi in 1997 - and follows five childhood friends - Ruth, Jane, Molly, Maggie and Carrie - their encounters with five young men of differing intentions, the girls' respective families together with their ever-changing occupations and exploits, concluding with an explosive unification of all five stories. This cleverly constructed novel's style is faithful to each era, the vagaries of language and the bonds of friendship. Readers who have already discovered Ella Minnow Pea - a novel without letters, Ibid: A Life - a novel in footnotes and Welcome to Higby will recognise and enjoy the challenges in Mark Dunn's new adventure Pentaptych.

Contribution is the sequel to The Girl from Penthorpe Hill. Poppy Anderson, Jasmine's adopted granddaughter, is a beautiful and compassionate young woman, dedicated to educating the world about our fragile planet. Her energy and passion for living life to the full, protecting the environment, helping others and striving to be the best she can, makes Poppy an international celebrity. Poppy, whose parents are devoted physicians working abroad, was raised by her wise old grandmother, Jasmine, living in the magnificent tropical jungles of Costa Rica before going on to further her education in the United States. After a long life, Jasmine's spiritual legacy lives on in the lives of Poppy and her best friend Sam, who plays a pivotal role in Poppy's journey. Contribution tells of the twists and turns in Poppy's life, learning to grow and confronting heart-breaking challenges. Recovering from a tragedy in India, which changes her world for ever, Poppy discovers there are many kinds of love and joy a person can experience in one lifetime. Poppy ultimately takes a trip back to Penthorpe Hill and begins to understand for herself that true love has no end. As with The Girl from Penthorpe Hill Carol Clayton writes about resilient women with honesty of emotion, be it sorrow or joy, and of meeting life's challenges with the main character emerging the stronger for it. Contribution is an intensely moving story of self-discovery, learning to live with loss and moving forward to experience life in all its fullness! A truly enjoyable read!

In The Years to Remember we follow the fortunes of one British family struggling to survive in the early years of the last war. In spite of the bombing and the threat of invasion Jack and Dolly Foster took great care of their two children throughout these dreadful times. We witness the children's early school days and their formative years until the war ends. The focus then switches mainly to their son Mike as he leaves school and takes up his first employment, he then becomes eligible for National Service and another adventure really begins.

From the author of the beloved debut Boys Don't Cry - an unforgettable story of love, loss, regret and the indelible marks one person can make on your life.

Summer, 1991.

Dean: sun-stung and sticky with cool ice-pop juice, walks to the middle of The Green to get a good gawk at the new salon. And at the owner's kid. Hands deep in his pockets, his jet-black mop of hair hides the tension in his face and shoulders at the thought of going back home.

Shauna: stands well hid behind her ma - her eyes dark and haunted like the rest of her. The salon is theirs, a fresh start. The smell of her Ma's Body Shop perfume clings to her jumper - Shauna can't be anywhere else other than here.

Instantly inseparable, their friendship blooms. But as time passes and tell-tale blushes and school fights develop into something deeper, conflicting responsibilities threaten to pull Shauna and Dean apart.

When all seems lost, will they find each other under the same blue sky?